一醉方休
yī zuì fāng xiū
not to stop until drunk; to drink one’s fill
Character by character
一yī
one
one
醉zuì
drunk
drunk
方fāng
only then
only then
休xiū
stop
stop
Example
老同学二十年没见了，今天晚上咱们一醉方休！
We haven’t seen each other in twenty years, old friend: tonight we drink till we drop!
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
方 is literary for 才: “only when drunk do we stop”. A cheerful call at reunions and celebrations, often 今天一醉方休 or 喝个一醉方休, like the spoken 不醉不归. In writing it can describe heavy drinking with a raised eyebrow.
Learn this in Lesson 139 · HSK 7–9: 茅台 (Moutai)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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